Mechanism for applying flexible strips.



R. E. BATES. MECHANISM FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE STRIPS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912.

1,132,901, I PatentedMar.23,1915.

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R. E. BATES.

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING "FLEXIBLE STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912.

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R. E. BATES. MECHANISM FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912. Patented Mar.23, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

11.3. BATES.. MECHANISM FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE STRIPS.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912.

R. B. BATES. MECHANISM FOR APPLYINGQFLEXIBLE STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912. 1, 1 32,901

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

WITNESSES.- 9

[1V VE N TOR.

ED STATES'YPATENT "OFFICE- men .13. Barns, or rmtamitrnie. PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNonro some or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR ,AIILYING FLEXIBLE STRIPS.

To. all whom/ct may concern Be it known that-I, RALPH E. BA'rEs, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of-Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, ,have mvented an Improved Mechanism for Applying Flexible Strips, ofwhich the following is a specification.

strips of material to articles, partlcularly,

' joints or provide reinforcements in the manufacture of cartons, backings for pamphlets and the like, which strips are by my improvements carried to position for application by pneumatic suctlon means.

In the preferred embodiment. of my. invention there is employed a machine comprising means by which a strip of tape is drawn into position to be cut to a desired length by automatic means and carried to a device,,suitably a wheel, on which it'is held by suction and by which it is carried to position for application to a blank, which may be conveniently positioned for receiving the strip by a traveling conveyer.

The characteristics of my invention are set out in the following description and the accompanying drawings in. illustration thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodyingthe preferred application of my improvements; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the table shown in Fig. 2 on the line A A thereof; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the tape cutting mechanism on the line B'B of Fig.2; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine fromthe side opposite that shown in Fig.2; Fig- 4 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 5 is a top plan view, part sectional, of the tape cutting mechanism; Fig. 6 is a diametrical sectional view of the frame of the tape gripping mechanism and the suction wheel by which the tape is applied to the blank Fig. 7 is an elevation, part sectional, showing the tape cutting, gripping and mechanism; Fig.8 isa detail showing the cam mechanism by'which the tape cutting mechanism is operated; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating .how the tape is This invention is designed for applying applying Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patentd Mar, 23, 1915 3 Application; filed August 13,1912. Serial No. 714,764;

view ofQa blank having strip applied ing longitudinal I-beams 1 supporte legs 2 laterally braced'by struts 3, cross pieces 4, having flanges 4' bolted to the so flanges 1' ofthe I-beams, beingclamped betweenthe -I-beams by bolts -5 and having bolted thereto the top boards 6. The table has fixed thereto brackets 7 having journaled .in bearings 8thereof a main driving shaft 9 to which power i's transmittedfrom a pulley 10 through a usual'formofplutch. l1 splined on the shaft. The clutch retracted to disengage its teeth 11' from the. teeth 10'. on thehub of the pulley by means 10 of a lever 12 pivoted on the bracket 13 and having pins 14 disposed in the channel 15 in the clutchsleeve. Sprocket wheels 16 are fixed on the driving shaft 9 and sprocket wheels 17 are-fixed on a shaft 18 journaled in bearings 19 of brackets 19 at the opposite end of the table from the brackets 7. Sprocket chains 20, passing over the sprocket wheels 16 and 17 and through slots 6 in the table top, have fixed thereto trans-180 verse slats 21 adapted for engaging the edges of blanks, which are carried thereby across the top of thetable.

Brackets 22 are bolted to the respective I-beams 1 and support a frame 23 extendingacross and above the table. A plate 24; fixed to the frame 23 with its lower edge slightly above the surface of the table, forms the front wall of a magazine in which are stacked blanks to whichstrips are to b'e ap-xeo plied, the blank at thebottom of the pile being engaged by a slat 21' and carriedalong the table under the frame upon the operation of the machine. The blanks are alined so as to have the strip applied to the desired part thereof by a side plate 25 .adjustably fixed to an arm 26 by a-bolt 27. The arm 26 is pivoted to the frame 23 by a bolt 28 and I fixed in position bya bolt 29 fixedfto an abutment v23 on the frame and passing through the slot 26 in the arm. The plate 26 may thus .be adjusted to accommodate 3 blanks of any size within the capacity of the machine andito provide for the application thereto of the tape strip in the desired 106 lateral position. A paste or water basin 30 is bolted to thegframe 23 and has journaled in the sides thereof a roller 31-by which an adhesive or moistening fluid may be applied to the tape strip. Abracket 32, bolted to the frame 23, supports standards 33 having thereon bearings 34 in which is journaled a. spindle 35. l-lubs 36 are sleeved on the spindie 35 and have-therein spokes 37 forming a reel for a roll of tape. Springs 38, disposed between the bearings 34 and the hubs 36, tend to yieldlngly press'the latter together so that tape rolls of various widths may be centered and carried by the reel. Tape -is fed from the reel through the loop 39, un-

der the bottom and over the vertical face of the bracket 40 which has fingers '41 pivoted thereto by pins 42 and. pressed against the vertical face thereof by springs 43 anchored to the knobs 44 onthe bracket 32, whereby the tape is held in position. A frame 45, having bearings 46 throughv which passnthe standards 33 (upon which the frame is adapted to reciprocate), has fixed thereto a knife 47. A double bell crank 48 fulcrumedjon the spindle 49 journaled in the frame 45, has pivoted between arms 48' thereof a link 50 pivota'lly connectedthrough a holder 52 with a knife 53 adapted to reciprocate along guides 54 fixed to the frame 45 and to coiiperate with the knife 47. The arms 48" of the bell crank have pivoted betweenfthe'm a link 55 which has its opposite. end pinned between the bifurcated end" of a bent lever 56. A rod 57, fixed to a bearing 58 pivoted in the frame 45, slides through an aperture in a bearing 59 pivoted between the arms 48 of the bell crank, the outward movement of the latter being limitedby a pin 60 in the rod. A spring 61 loosely coiled on the rod 57 between the bearings 58 and 59 normally holds the bell crank in position to keep the knife 53 retracted, the-spring being strong enough to support the frame and prevent the rocking of the bell crank 48 by the upward movement of the end of the lever 56 except- ,ing when the frame is held against further movement by the stops 62 on the standards 33. The tape is. cut by the rocking of the bell crank .48 and the reciprocation of the knife 53 when the frame 45 is in its highest position, thus leaving an end of the tape projectingabove the fingers 41 and knife 47 in the lower position of the frame'to afford a hold for the gripper mechanism.

A bracket 63 is bolted to an I-beam 1 and has an arm 64 with a hanger 65 depending therefrom.. A shaft 66, having a sprocket wheel 67 fixed thereon, is journaled in a hearing .63 of the bracket and extends through a shaft 69 journaled in the bearing 65 of the hanger 65. The. sprocket wheel 67 isdriven through a chain 71 by a sprocket wheel 72 fixed on the shaft 73 mounted in bearingsj74 of the brackets 7. This'shaft has fixed thereto a disk 75 and loosely sleeved thereon a cog wheel 7 6, the cog wheel graham a aa tdny fixttie in relation to, the

shaft by bolts 77 passing through slots 78 in the cog wheel and through the disk. A pinl cam together in desired adjustable relationfi The cam .82 acts on a roller on the end of anarm 86 keyed to a shaft 87', journaled'in bearings 89 of brackets 90 bolted on the arm 64, which it xrocks to oscillate the lever 56 on the other end thereof and therethrough operate the cutting mechanism.

A wheel 91 has a hub 92 fixed by a key 93" to the shaft 66 and 'a hub 94 revolubly mounted on a hollow shaft or tube 95 supported by a bracket 96 bolted to an I-beam 1, the tube-95 being connected with an exhauster orother source of vacuum X. A chamber 96'is formed in the wheel by the flanges 92 and 94' on the hubs and the rim 97 having therein apertures 98, air being exhausted from this chamber through the tube 95 and the suction exerted by the vacuum in the wheel acting through the apertures 98 on strips placed on the ;,rim causing such strips to adhere thereto. A

The shaft 69 has fixed thereto by a key 99 a radial arm 100 having a plate 101 extending over the rim of the wheel 91. A bell crank 102 has its apex fixed on an arbor 103 journaled in a bearing 100 of the arm 100. The arm 102 of this bell crank has thereon a pm 102 dis osed in a slot 104 of a lever 104 which is xed to-a pintle 105 of a gripper-jaw 106 joiirnaled in bearings 107 of the plate 101, the pin and slot connection between the arm and lever permitting the rocking of the lever to open the jaw when the bell crankis rocked.

The arm 102 of the bell crank has pivoted thereto on the pin 108 a bell crank 109. The arm 109 of this bell crank forms a latch normally resting upon the top of a pin 110 on the arm 100 and has therein a notch 109 in which the pin is adapted to be engaged when the'bell crank 102 is rocked to retract the bell crank 109. A spring 111 anchored to the stud 112 on the arm 100 has its end connected to the arm 109" of the bell crank 109 through which it acts on the bell crank 102 to close the aw 106 when the pin I 110 is disengaged from the. notch 109 and roller 114 controlled by a .cam 115 adjustably-bolted to the hub 92 of the wheel 91..

v Fig. 7, the latch 109 having been tilted upon The latch 109' is elevated, to-disengage the pin 110 from the notch 109 so that the spring 111 may rock the bell crank 102 and close the jaw 106, by an adjustable bolt 116 in a bracket 117 carried by the hanger 65.

The arm 100 is oscillated through a segmental gear 118 fixed on the shaft 69 and having teeth 118' meshing with teeth 119 of a rack 120. The rack 120 is fixed on a shaft 121 mounted in bearings 63" and 65" of the bracket 63 and hanger 65 respectively, the shaft having fixed thereto a crank 122 with a wrist pin 123 extending through a slot 124 of a pitman or connecting rod 125 to which it is adapted to be clamped in adjustable relation by a nut-126.

A crank 127 fixed on the shaft 73 has therein a slot 127' in which isdisposed the head 128 of a bolt 128 having thereon the nut 128" by which the cam 129 and flanged block 130 are adjustably fixed to the eccentric. The head 125 of the pitman 125 has therein a slot 125 in which the block 130 is adapted to slide, separation of the head and block being prevented by the flanges on the latter. Rollers 125 on the head 125' engage the cam 129 wherethrough the pitman is operated, the cam being so shaped that at certain points itsrotation around the axis of the shaft 73 is. compensated for and no movement is communicated to the pitman.

-In operation, blanks stacked in the magazine are alined so as to bring the desired sec-' tion thereof in the plane of the tape strip by suitably adjusting the plate 25,- and the blanks fed forward over the top of the table by the slats 21.

In the position of the apparatus shown in.

the downward movement of the arm 100 by the screw 116 to disengage the notch 109 from the pin 110, and the jaw 106 having been closed over the end of the tape projecting above the knife 47 by the action of the spring 111 through the bell cranks 109 and 102 and lever 104, the arm 100 is beginning to be moved upward by the mechanism con- 'necting it with the pitman 125. When the desired length of tape has been drawn by the gripper mechanism over the rim of the wheel 91, as illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. 9, the arm 100 is held stationary, due to the movement of the pitman actuating rollers 125 on the irregular perimeter of the cam-l29 which compensates for the movement of the cam around theaxis of the eccentric 127. During this period of rest, the cam 82 rocks the lever 56, through the arm Y86 and shaft 87, raising the frame 45 to the limit of its upward movement. The lever 56 being rocked farther by the cam and the further movement of the frame 45 being prevented by the stops 62, the bell crank 48 is thrown against the resistance of the spring 61, whereby the knife 53 is advanced the tape, the latter being drawn and held by I suction on the rim of the wheel 91. The

cam 115 on the hub of the wheel 91 then rocks the lever 113 and, through the arbor .103, throws the bellcrank 102 and lever 104 to open the jaw 106 and release the tape, the jaw being held open by the engagement of the latch 109 on the pin 110 through the action of the spring 111. The tape is carried downward by. the constantly revolving suction wheel 91 in contact with the roller 31 and applied to a blank A, as shown in Fig. 10, the blank having been carried by a slat, 21 into position for receiving it. Upon the throw of the pitman 125 in the reverse direction, the gripper mechanism is again carried downward, being held stationary, due to the cam 129, upon the tripping of the latch 109 while the gripper jaw 160 seizes the tape end left projecting above the knife wrist-pin 126 in the pitman slot 124, the' block 130 relative to the axis of the crank 127, and the cam 129; the operation of the gripper jaws by adjustment of the cam 115 on the hub 91 and the elevation of the screw of said fabric, means for cutting said fabric into sections meansfor operating said cutting mechanism and gripping mechanism in synchronous relation, and a movable suction device for engaging said fabric and translating said sections. I a 1 2. In a machine of the character described, means for holding a fabric by the application of pressure thereto, automatically acting mechanism for gripping said fabric and drawing it from said means, a revoluble suction wheel to which said gripper, mechanism draws said fabric, and a rge'ciprocating. cutting mechanism movable relatively to said ho ding means for cutting said fabric into sections.-

3. In a machine of the character described,

Q" manner holding means for fr ictionally engaging a fabric, an oscillating grlpper' mechanism adapted for engaging said fabric and drawing it through said holding means, means comprising a revoluble devlce adapted for pneumatically'holding said fabric, a cutter movable toward and from said holding means, and means for operating said-cutterwhen withdrawn from said holding means to sever said fabric.

4. In a machine of the character described, a revoluble suction wheel, a tape holder, means for drawing tape from said holder over said wheel oppositely to its direction of rotation and delivering said tape to said wheel, and means for severing the section of said tape delivered to said wheel.

5. Ina machine of the character described, a holder adaptedfor applying pressure to tape drawn 'therethrough, a suction device,

'of tape drawn therethrough, oscillating gripper mechanism for drawing tape from said holder, a reciprocating knife for cutting said tape, and a wheel for pressing said tape against a blank carried by said conveyer. a

8. In a machine of the character described, a blank magazine, a conveyer for carrying'blanks from said magazine, a tape holder having gripping means, oscillating gripper mechanism for drawing tape from said holder, and a suction wheel to which tape is carried by said gripper mechanism and by which said tape is pressed upon a blank carried .by said conveyer.

9. In a machine of the character described, a blank carrier, a tape holder having gripping means, a suction device, oscillating gripper mechanism for drawing said tape from said holder to said device, and means for rendering said tape adhesive, said tape being carried by said suction device to a blank on said carrier.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a tape holder, strip applying mechanism comprising a carrier, gripper mechanism comprising a jaw movable about an axis and over the surface of said carrier, said gripper mechanism drawing tape from said holder to said carrier, a lever connected with said jaw, means comprising a cam for operating said lever, and means for applying suction to tape on said carrier.

It, In apparatus of the character de scribed; a tape holder, gripper mechanism .movable about an axis and comprising a jaw,

means comprising a lever and cam for opening said jaw, means comprising a latch whereby said j aw'is maintained in open position, and means for releasing said latch and permitting said jaw to grip tape carried by said holder.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a revoluble suction wheel, gripper mechanism having a common axis with said wheel and traveling over the rim thereof, and means for operating said gripper mechanism.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a revoluble shaft, a suction Wheelt thereon, an oscillating gripper mechanism movable about an axis and comprising a jaw adapted for carrying a strip to saidwheel, means comprising a spring normally holding said jaw in one position, and means comprising a cam for moving said jaw from said first named position.

14'. In apparatus of the character described, reciprocating gripper mechanism comprising anoscillating arm, a jaw carried thereby, a lever connected with said jaw, a bell crank connected with said lever, a latch connected with said bell crank, and means in the path of said latch for tilting it.

15. In apparatus of the character de- "scribed, an oscillating arm, a jaw pivoted,

thereto, a lever connected with said jaw, a bell crank connected with said lever and having a spindle journaled in said arm, a second bell crank having a latch for locking said first namedbell crank, a spring connected with said second named bell crank, and means for releasing said latch.

16. In apparatus of the character described, a tape holder, a reciprocating carriage, cutting mechanism carried thereby, means for operating said cutting mechanism in one position of said carriage, gripper mechanism, a journaled device to which said gripper mechanism carries tape from said holder past said knife, and means for operating said gripper mechanism in another position of said carriage.

17. In apparatus of the character described, a tape holder, a suction wheel gripper mechanism for drawing tape from said holder to said wheel, mechanism for cutting tape drawn by said gripper mechanism, and means for operating said last named mechanism comprising a pitman, an eccentric, and

a cam through which said eccentric operates said pitman.

combination with a blank conveyer, a driving shaft, means connecting said conveyer and driving shaft, means connecting said tape applying means and driving shaft, and means for adjusting the relation between said conveyer and tape applying means so that a tape strip carried thereby may be applied to various parts of a blank on said conveyer.

19. In apparatus of the character described, a tape holder, a suction wheel, oscillatlng mechanical gripper mechanism movable about the axis of said wheel for drawing tape from said holder to said wheel, and a. traveling con'veyer adapted for carrying a blank into position for receiving tape from said wheel.

20. In apparatus of the character described, cutting mechanism, a revoluble shaft, a suction wheel fixed on said shaft, gripper mechanism sleeved on said shaft, a

cam revolved by said shaft for operating said cutting mechanism, and a cam revolved by said shaftfor operating sald mechanism.

gripper v for gripping said tape, a cutter for severing said tape, means for rendering said tape adhesive, and a device for carrying said tape in contact with said means last'named.

22. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of atape carrier,

means for severing tape carried by said carrier, means comprising oscillating, gripper mechanism having a movable jaw for engaging said tape, means for rendering said tape adhesive, and means comprising a vacuum 40 member against which the tape is atmospherically pressed for delivering said tape.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 7th day of August, 1912, in

the presence .of the subscribing Witnesses.

RALPH E. BATES.

Witnesses: v

Jos. G. DENNY, Jr., WM. Scnucin. 

